RISK MANAGEMENT
DO CYBERCRIMINALS CARE ABOUT ME ?
Source : Nex-Tech
Cybercrime is everywhere . We know it , and you know it , but deep down , many of us still think we ’ re either too small or unimportant to be a target . Think again . You were never safe from cybercriminals , but when the new year rolled into March and COVID-19 became the only news , your small business moved to the front of the cyber criminal ’ s hackline .
It was a lovely day for hackers when mandated closures resulted in immediate transitions to virtual work . It was rapid and often took place without having the protections of the office in place . And that is what played right into the hands of cybercriminals . By April 16 , thehill . com reported that cybersecurity complaints to the Federal Bureau of Investigations ( FBI ) were three to four times higher than before COVID-19 , with small businesses being the hot target .
Let ’ s do a quick reality check . Fact : Over 60 % of cyber attackers target small businesses . Why ? Because most hackers bank on volume , and there are a lot of small businesses out there . According to Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council data , in 2016 , there were 5.6 million “ employer firms ” in the United States . Companies with under 20 employees , including self-employed folks with no staff , accounted for 98 % of those businesses . That ’ s many small businesses that traditionally don ’ t invest as much into cybersecurity measures as enterprise organizations .
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